Owning a home is expensive, especially when things break unexpectedly.
Joe Liles knows. The 60-year-old veteran works as a janitor.
After paying his bills, there isn’t much left. So when he ran into a leaking and rotting roof, repairs were out of the question.
“I had buckets, a big trash can, totes that I was catching water in, and it would still be about two or three inches of water on the floor,” he said.
To keep his mortgage, he had to get a new roof.
Down on his luck, he entered the No Roof Left Behind contest, not once but twice.
“The second time I said, 'I’m going to win this,' and I did. I put a lot of effort into it,” Liles said.
Out of hundreds of entries, he finally won a $20,000 roof last year. He won by getting the most votes online.
“I would have these fliers with me, and be at a Circle K and tell people, 'Will you take the time to vote for me?' To win you really have to hustle,” he said.
Right now there are three different contests going on at the same time. There is one in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Sarasota County. That means three people can win a free roof.
“Everyone has a unique story. It's awesome they are different. From elderly to a younger couple we did that really couldn't move a child into her home until we got them a new roof. We were able to get them a new roof, make it a safe environment,” said Mathew Housh with Arry’s Roofing who is doing the Pinellas giveaway.
Liles says the contest has been life changing, a new roof that freed up his hard earned money for other unexpected repairs.
“It totally changed my life that I knew I would have a home to live in the rest of my life. It was overwhelming,” he said.
If you want to enter or nominate someone go to http://noroofleftbehind.com/program/fl
Since everyone can’t win, here are some ideas if you’re having roof problems.
You can first trying patching it. That can cost a couple hundred dollars and give you time to save for a new roof.
Depending on what type of roof you need, choosing shingles over tile can save you thousands.
And try financing. There average roof costs $10,000. If you have good credit, monthly payments can be as low as $150.
The good news: Roofs last about 30 years, so it’s likely you will only need to buy one in your lifetime.
